Almost a Blog Entry

I promised myself that I wouldn't post another blog entry till I finished something--

SO

The Clapotis is finished!



Well. . . sort of. I still have stitches to drop and ends to weave in.



Consider this sort of a blog entry.

Status Quo

Nothing new here. All the projects that were on the needles are still on the needles.



Startitis fever has passed.

However, over the past few days, I've discovered that in my aunt's needle box are some needles that some people covet.



Besides these three circlon needles, I have two more. When I get the time, I'll play around with them and see for myself how they compare to these new-fangled needles. Stay tuned!

Has anybody used the old Susan Bates circlon needles? What do you think of them?

A Winter Day

Keeping warm on such a cold day



with the Clapotis and a book to snuggle into.

And tulips to remind me that each day brings us closer to Spring.

Two Weeks Later

Sometimes life interferes with blogging.

Almost two weeks ago, my hubster had heart bypass surgery. He's doing fine--gaining strength every day. I don't have the words to express how grateful we are for his incredible doctors and the competent and kind staff at the hospital.

During those hospital days, the Clapotis was my companion. The predictable knit was soothing and became a meditation for me, "Knit one, knit through the back, knit, knit, knit, knit through the back." Over and over again. My own heart was aching as I watched my hubster hooked up to monitors, tubes, wires and saw his incisions. "Knit through the back, knit, knit, knit. . . " I thought of each stitch as one more stitch closer to recovery.



Right now, the hubster is home and we're establishing a new rhythm to our life. During the little walks he needs to take during the day, we take in the world around us. They go a long way towards his healing .

I realized I also am healing when, during one of our walks, I noticed this flower and thought it reminded me of something. Something yarny.



When I got home, I dug through the stash. Oh, yes! The koigu! I bought it before all this happened and had intended to make a cowl or scarf for the fall.



Sometime during the past two weeks, fall began. It's not too late. Maybe I won't finish it--the cowl or scarf-- for this fall. But I can finally see a future of many autumns ahead for the hubster and me.

Rule of Fifths

Way back when, I started a Clapotis. 1300 yards of Briar Rose in legend weight (between sport and DK).

I plunged right in. I knew I wanted it wider than the pattern, but didn't stop to plan it out. Eyeballed the width.

In late spring, I put the Clapotis on the back burner to work on the Summer Lake Shawl. And then, during the summer, I discovered the Clapotis group on Ravelry and learned about the "rule of fifths." 1/5 of the yarn for the increase rows/ 1/5 for the decrease rows/ 3/5 for the length.

OH!

I then went into a panic. I knew I was already on the length rows when I had put it aside. And I have so much yarn! Will I end up with a long, skinny shawl?

The Clapotis group advises weighing and dividing the yarn into fifths. But I didn't have a food scale. And I kept forgetting to buy one.

All summer the voices in my head kept whispering:
Must buy food scale. Must weigh the yarn. Must figure out how much yarn I used for the increase section. Must divide the yarn in to fifths. Must rip back.

However all of this was theoretical because I never even looked at the Clapotis or the yarn. But this didn't stop me from panicking because I thought I didn't follow the rule of fifths!

When I finished the Summer Lake Shawl, I finally pulled the Clapotis out and looked at it.



OH!

Look at this! You see on the right hand side a couple of pieces of yarn? I seemed to have added a new skein when I started the length rows. That's good! And I had divided the 1300 yards into six balls--five of about the same size and one much smaller one. That's good too!

Two for the increase and decrease and three for the length. And the little one leftover for maybe a headband. WHEW! The rule of fifths rules!

Happiness is

newly manicured red nails



a chocolate glazed donut



and working with a delicious yarn on a project that practically knits itself!



What's your happiness today?

Hopeful Signs

Today was full of promises.
Promises of days ahead when we''ll be sweltering, sweating and swearing.

But, for now, we'll just enjoy this Spring day.

Trees are in bloom:





Ice cream cones make tasty after-school treats:




My winter coat has been thrown off and all I need is the Clapotis over my shoulders: